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Thieves Steal Over $200,000 Worth of Fine Wine from Two Michelin-Star Spanish Restaurant
Coque, a two-star establishment in the heart of Madrid, is the latest fine-dining eatery to fall victim to the alcohol underbelly. The Spanish restaurant was ransacked last week by a crew of assailants, stealing a total of 132 bottles of wine worth a combined value that exceeds €150,000 (AUD$232,000). It turns out criminals love a cheeky vino. However, we suspect they are more interested in the black market than the blackcurrants.
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Image: Coque
According to EL PAÍS, the police confirmed authors of the robbery accessed through a pharmacy attached to the premises. From there, they created a hole in one of the business windows and entered the premises through the restaurant’s back door. “They went straight for the wine, there is no evidence that they took anything else,” police sources indicate, which suggests the criminals were well aware of the bottles’ value.
The report also notes that robberies of this type are usually made to order, and the gang responsible for the heist already has a market for the goods. Furthermore, everything indicates this was a team of professionals who studied how to break in and prevent setting off alarms. The incident follows the robbery of Atrio earlier this year – another Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain – that had 45 bottles worth an estimated AU$2.5 million stolen from its cellars.
The co-owner of Coque, Rafael Sandoval, alerted his colleagues in the industry to take maximum precautions since they suspect there’s a group of thieves specialised in this type of high-value merchandise crime.
You have to understand that there is a black market in the world of wine and you don’t have to buy from unofficial houses, Sandoval said in a television interview. “This must be communicated so that it does not happen again. We are one of the most important wineries in Spain and we have many security measures, with images that are already in the hands of the Police.”
While there are currently no suspects, police suggested the assailants could’ve had help from the inside when determining which bottles to grab, as they appeared to be very deliberate when choosing which wine to take. For example, their loot included bottles from the Marqués de Riscal winery dating back to 1925.
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Sam Mangioni
Sam Mangioni is an experienced Staff Writer with an extensive background in digital content production and news. Prior to working for Man of Many, Sam spent three years at Southern Cross Austereo where he served as a Content Producer and News Reporter for the flagship Triple M Breakfast Program. The Sydney-based reporter completed a Bachelor of Commerce from Macquarie University Majoring in Marketing in 2014. A specialist in sport, lifestyle and gear coverage, Sam's work has also featured in Fight News Australia.
